Jantri rates have risen by 1000%

Ahmedabad: The state government has raised the jantri rates by up to 1,000 per cent compared to the 2008-09 rates. This means the citizens will have to cough up more by way of stamp duty.

The government introduced new scientifically prepared jantri rates from April on Friday. The rates have been increased by up to 1000 per cent in many areas of the city and outskirts. Thaltej, Bopal, Vejalpur, Vastrapur and a few other areas have witnessed steep rise in the range of 500 per cent to 1000 per cent in jantri rates.

In Bopal, old jantri rate for residential properties were Rs 3,000 per square metre, which has now gone up to Rs 17,000 to Rs 25,000 per square meter-a rise in the range of more than 550 per cent to 850 per cent. The rate for open plot has been fixed at Rs30,000 per square meter which is parallel to market rates on prime locations. Similar is the case of Thaltej where the open land rates have been increased to Rs 35,000 to Rs 1,00,000 per square metre in the new jantri. They were Rs 5500 to Rs 9,000 per square metre as per the old jantri of 2008-09. In case of residential properties, the rates have increased between Rs 21,000 and Rs 50,000 as compared to Rs 5500 and Rs 7,000 previously. The rise in jantri rates will lead to higher payment of stamp duty making property costlier in turn. Developers believe that sudden introduction of the new jantri rates point towards dictatorial attitude of the state government as it did not invite any suggestion or objection from various stake-holders.

"The government has snatched away democratic right of submission of objections," said Suresh Patel, president of Gujarat Institute of Housing and Estate Developers. The jantri rates have been fixed in non-scientific manner as rates of Ambawadi that falls in R-1 zone, have been fixed between Rs 35,000 and Rs 40,000 per square metre, while in R-2 zone of Bodakdev it is between Rs 55,000 and Rs 80,000 per square metre, said Patel. "Does it mean that Ambawadi has become cheaper and Bodakdev costlier?" Patel asked.